Canopy space filling and tree crown morphology in mixed-species stands compared with monocultures

Mixed-species forest stands are well explored in their favourable ecological, economical, and socio-economical functions and services compared with pure stands, but still poorly understood in their structure and functioning. Canopy structure and tree morphology affect the environmental conditions within the stand, the tree growth, and by this most forest functions and services. Here, I review how canopy structure and crown morphology in mixed stands can differ from pure stands and how this depends on the selection of tree species and interactions between them. The focus is on the macrostructure of canopy and crowns derived from the trees’ positions, their convex crown hulls, and their space filling with…